Thursday---Thanksgiving

Ever since I was a little kid my thoughts on Thanksgiving would be "I wonder what I will be doing next year at this time."   Mostly everything was the same.   But once in a while life throws you a curve ball.  Like the year 1965, I was in nursing school.  I really didn't see that one coming the year before.  

I had graduated from high school and really didn't know what I was going to do.   No ever sat me down and asked "Claudia, what are you career goals ?"   But back at that time  there were very many options open to women.   Medical school classes would take 2 women out of a class of 100.   Men were paid more than women "because they had a family to support."    I chose nursing because there was not anything to do at the time.  Guess it was sort of a default thing.  I had to do something, and this seemed to be the easiest.  What it all came down to was the school that had an opening in August after I had applied in March.

I discussed that with my daughter and to her that was unbelievable.   It really is 42 years later.   But she also said with every career opportunity it was hard to decide what to do since she like to do many things.   But nothing had a "PASSION."  My words at that time was find something to do that will pay you and make passion a hobby.  I haven't found my passion yet, although, there are lots of things I like t do.

Then there was the year I met my husband.  We had a disagreement whether it was 1967 or 1968.   Not really a disagreement but rather a discussion over food and beer.  I say it was 1967 and he says it was 1968.  Either way it was a while ago.   That Thanksgiving  after I met him, I didn't see that coming either.   Either way "I love you Chuck."   He sometimes reads this journal to see what I am thinking. 

Then there was the year that the Thanksgiving was celebrated in Korea.  The quest was getting a turkey.  I think we ate with my friend Ruth and her husband and many other expatriates.  You did a wonder full job Ruth.  We had to buy a lot of foods on the black market because there was not a selection of western foods there at the time.  If  you could find something in a shop the price was triple what you would have paid back in the USA.

And a then the one that was in Yugoslavia.   I remember that one because there were a lot of expatients living there and we had dinner in a castle on the Sava River.   That particularly stands out because half of the diners got sick.  I don't remember what they ate.  There were two choices and I didn't eat the one that made everyone sick.  

One year we had Thanksgiving dinner in Iowa and Ruth and her family come from Chicago on Friday and had dinner.  It was a good time too.

So, who knows what we will be doing next year.  I am always prepared for the unusual and unexpected.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING ALL.